Signature feeding



Dec. 3, 1940. P. SCHWEIZER 2.223,391'

SIGNATURE FEEbING Filed sept. 9, 19:59 2 sheds-sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Dec. 3, 1940.. P SCHWlZER 2,223,391'

SIGNATURE FEEDING Filed sept. 9, 1939 2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORN EYS n distinction to being stacked atwise as is frequently done. Although the signatures in each hopper rest upon their lower edges theydo not stand exactly vertically but stand tilted over rontwardly to a substantial angle, in this case about 30 from the vertical as compared with 15 in said patent. This arrangement is found to facilitate the loading of signature supplies in each hopper, each batch more readily assuming and tures and deliver them regularly, in this case uponthe traveling saddle l5, so as gradually to build up signature groups G as indicated.

Journalled in the machine frame is shown the main shaft X running the entire length of the machine, making one revolution per cycle, and serving in coordination the various hoppers, feeding mechanisms and transfer mechanisms. Carried on the main shaft are a number of operating cams .'r, 3:2, :c3 etc., the connections from which to the various parts of the mechanism are illustrated and will be hereinafter described.

Referring next to the signature hopper or stack holder, the drawings showv the hopper as comprising a lower side plate i@ at each side and an upper side plate i9 at each side, these being mounted upon a base or carriage 2@ which may be supported on rear and front rods or axles 2l and 22. -The hopper bottom may comprise one or a pair of feed belts 2G supporting the stack. Each belt is shown passing around rear and front belt pulleys 25, the front one of which may be driven slowly by ratchet mechanism 2B to 25e analogous to that shown in said. prior patent and similarly controlled, therefore needless to describe.

By these arrangements, the signatures are stacked edgewise as shown, preferably with their back edges down, so that each signature may be later opened centrally for deposit on the saddle l5. The signatures may be bowed rearwardly for greater stability in the stack, as in said patent. This is notalways essential, but in the case of long and narrow signatures or gangs this bowing is useful for a special reason. The bowing is produced by the spacing of the side plates I9 slightly closer together than the horizontal length of the signature. These plates terminate short of the front of the stack, as in 4said patent, so that a few of the signatures at the front are released from the bowed condition. The bowing of the bulk of the signatures reduces theextent of frontward pressure on the front signature and ,this materially eases the friction thereon during each extracting operation.

There is also shown a small roller or feeler 2l at the lower front part of the hopper, constituting a stop restraining the lower edges of the frontmost signatures from swinging frontward in an uncontrolled manner, while permitting the extreme. or front signature to be released therefrom when pulled frontwardly thereover.

Each hopper is completed by the provision of a front abutment or wall 29, of less area than the signatures, against which the middle part of each of the front signatures of the stack bears until extracted. The'abutment is mounted on a support 30 carried Ion the bar Ill and so may be of less dimension than the front signature 'both horizontally and up and down; or there may be one long front wall 29 for the. entire series of hoppers. l

The balance of the description Aof the disclosed apparatus will be in substantially the following order. The detaching means will first be described, comprising a suction detacher 35 acting near one of the horizontal edges of the first or front signature to detach or swing it sumcientlv away frontwardly from the next signature to permit the subsequent operations.l The detaching action is shown performed at the bottom edge of the frontl signature, since the preferred operation is to extract each signature downwardly to a stopped position` and then reverse its travel into an upward direction commencing the transfer away to the subsequent operations; but this plan might be reversed 0n the same principles by detaching the top edge of the signature, extracting it upwardly to a stopped positionand then transferring it away with downward travel. In either case the detacher preferably works at the back or folded. edge in the case of a signature, that being the only edge of the ordinary signature that is capable of bodily detachment by suction. 'This is especially true of a lap signature characterized in that a half of it is wider than the balance,

lforminga lap, for later opening.

The next branch ofdescription deals with what is herein termed a separator 45, which is an instrument that enters between the edge of the detached signature and those behind, isolating the detached signature at such edge and then re- -pressing or forcing back the stack behind the front signature, this separator later performing an additional positioning function auxiliary to ture may be disposed of, for example by opening and delivering it upon a saddle.

The detacher 35 is shown in the usual form of a suction cup on a hollow arm, these being mounted on a hollow carrier 36 which is swingable and has a suitable pneumatic connection, not shown. The several carriers 36 are mounted on a common rockshaft 3l by which all of the detachers may be swung in unison.

IThe detacher 35 may have the usual detaching action, similar to that shown in said patent, by swinging rearwardly to a first or signature engaging position, and then retracting front- Wardly to swing the signature edge out away from the stack. As usual there may be two or more suction detachers for each stack, engaging each front signature near its lower closed edge, thereby to swing such edge out, free from the feeler or guard 2l and from the remainder of the stack. The detacher may thus bring the signature edge to a suitable extracting position, which is preferably the natural position of the signature, as shown, in alinement with the rfront abutment plate 29. See Fig. 3.

There is disclosed a special detaching operation, which may be optional,.consisting in causing the detacher 35 flrst'tof swing outwardly or frontwardly too an extra extent, beyond the natural or straight position of the signature, so

Fig. 2 fully shows this repressing action, which takes place just before the downward extraction, materially aiding the extracting action.

TheV third or supplemental function of the 5 lseparatori is to act upon the top edge of each` extracted signature. after it has been pulled down out of the stack, to separatesuch upper edge in the sense of positioning it frc'mt'wardly,`

in a'reliable manner, toccoperate with the gripping or other transfer engagement upon such. upper edge, for transporting the signature 'away to a remote point of delivery. Fig. l shows the separator performing this function, its frontward shifting movement operating to deect the lsignature top edge into the path of the transfer gripper. The action expedities and positively in sures the correct positioning of the signature, which otherwise, especially with light signatures and high speed of operation. might fail to arrive at the transfer position in time for gripping and removal. This positive mechanical function dispenses awith a pneumatic' positioning action by lmeans of air puffs, which would be less reliable and more difficult to provide. Various adjustments between separator t5 and cam .r2 may be provided, e. g. the length of link 5d for initial setting, or its point of pivoting to arm 53 to change the throw of the separator.

. Coming next to the extraction of each front signature, this is shown performedby a reciprocating extractor 6a, consisting of two pairs of gripping jaws, one near each side, each jaw-pair comprising a relatively xed jaw 6i and a swinging jaw t2. These grippers are arranged and operated to grip the front signature at two op posite points and pull i`t down completely out of the stack while the weight of the staclr` is relieved by the separator t5. Each gripper reciprocates or swings bodily, risingto a position m to engage the closed bottom edge of the front signature when it stands in its natural or ex= tracting position `determined by the detacher, as

shown i-n Fig. ,3, the gripper lowering movement being in alinement with such intermediate or g natural position of the signature. The lowering of the extractor wholly removes the signature from the stack and brings it to rest in a precise stopped-position, predetermined by adjustment, so that the signature top edge will move down to 5@ an exact point lower than the stack, becoming free for accurate engagement by the transfer means. By this order of steps the transfer is relieved from the burden of extraction, and the transferis initiated without any substantiall drag 5g upon the signature. This plan further permits the handling of narrower or smaller signatures because there is no necessity of top edge separation .and extraction as illustrated in4 said prior patent.'

The extracting gripper 60 is mounted at the free end of a carrier lever 63 which is a long lever swinging from a high rear axis and bent for clearance purposes. Its effective leng-th when raised is apprommately parallel to the hopper 65 bottom. The lever 63 is fast on a. rockshaft Se and to the same rockshaft is attached a second rock lever or arm 65 formed with a slot G6 for yadjustment purposes. A pivot stud 61 may be set to dinerent positions in the slot 66, andthe stud is connected by a. long link 68 with the free end of a lever armv 69, which constitutes a cam lever fulcrumed below at i0 and carrying a follower or roll ii running upon the contour of a cam :r3 on the main shaft X. To hold the g@ follower resiliently to the cam there is sho a amasar third roc 'i3 on. the rockshaft 64, and from v the free end oi' this rockarm extends a rod 'M sliding in a xed bracket 15, with a spring r it coed between said bracket and a head 'H on the rod. The spring therefore, under strong 5 compression, swings the rockarm a5 in a manner to hold the follower ii to its cam, and to retract downwardly the gripper tu, anording a cushioning yield.

The adjustment of the stud 6l in the slot '66 10 detees the extent of i swing or stroke of the vcarrier lever s3 and therefore the point to which each signature is lowered in the extracting movement. The gripper however should always rise to exactly the same signaturev engaging position. i5

The curvature of slot ad therefore is such that, when the ylever d@ and gripper are raised the arc of the slotis concentric to the pivot between lever da and t@ about which pivot the link swings d the adjustment of the stud di in the slot. 20 The adjustment therefore changes only the stroke-lh and the bottom limit of gripper s,7 which has to be varied with the vertical width of the atures. i

It is important that the top open edge of the 25 signatures shall be presented at an exact pre' dete zo..V eci point or height to the transfer drum grippers, and the described arc adjustment 56, ti of the downward extracting stroke provides the means for this. The gripper always starts 30 down from the same level, and when lowered brings the signature top edge always to the same level, whatever its width. The gripper oscillating cam 111:3 vis seen to have a substantial dwell at the lowered gripper position. While at this 35 dwell the signature rests stationarily in proper register for its top edge. to be gripped by the transfer drum grippers. This gripper pause conf stitutes a stop for the lowered position of the extracted signature, and permits the grippers to o be opened, releasing the signature, before the transferring grippers grip and pull it up and away. The cam dwell also is so prolonged that when the gripper later swings up for the next extraction it can not overtake the signature be- 45.A

ing tr fer-red. This sequence of gripper lowering, rele and delayed rising actions is possible by the use of a timed cam r3, whereas a spie crank motion would not serve.

The grippens e@ must each be opened and closed '50 l in proper time with its shifting movements, the gripper rising in open condition, closing upon the signature edge, lowering in. closed condition im extract the signature, and finally opening in its adjusted lowered position to release the 55 signature. To perform these movements the gripper jaw t2 has e. tail or extension t0 shown connected by a link 3i and pivot 82 with a. rockarm da carried on a rockshaft 84. The pivot 82 'is a heating' pivot, with a universal joint, and 60 with adjustable cushioning springs preventing positivejaw closing movements which might be injurious to the material. By rocking the shaft til the jaws are opened or closed, and for this action there is shown a rockarm 85 attached to 65 the shaft and connected by adepending link 86 with a lever 87 swinging loosely on the axle Il. On the same hub with the arm 81 is a second arm or cam lever 38 carrying a follower 59 engaged upon the cam'az on the main shaft X, .the cam 70 having the proper contour to cause the gripper jaw movements as described. The rockshaft 84 is preferably located close to the rockshaft 86 instead of having them concentric, which would be theoretically preferable but dimcult in construction. The shaft 8|, with its arms 93 and 95, is hung from the shaft 64, so that these all partake of the swinging of rockarms B3 and B5; and the gripper Vopening cam is designed for correct timing with these factors in consideration.

To guide and render uniform the lowering movement of each signature there is shown a pair of opposite signature confining rollers 94 mounted upon adjustable arms 95 and so positioned as to press and hold frontwardly each descending signature, for example, against an inclined receiving plate or wall 96 shown mounted on a bracket 91 fixed on a rod 99, by clamping means affording adjustment. This plate or signature support is an important element for the reason ing the retreating grippers @t after full extrae that the extraction movement ceases and the grippers 60 open substantially before the drum grippers close upon the signature. The released signature while pausing rests against Athe plate 99. Between the guide rollers 94 and the signature rest 96 is a gap through which the lower part of the signature is pulled down.

Below the guide roll 94 the rest pl e 96 may be continued as shown, inl curved shape pproxi mating the path of the descending grip rs. Its lower partn 99 may also be grooved, as shown, at its opposite sides, or elsewhere not conflicting with the extraction. The grcovededges of the plate compel the descending signature to assume the curved form of the plate between the grippers and ,th/e' g`uide roll. Without this provision signatures might in some cases sume the curve butin other cases straighten outilow the guiderolls and thus cause decidedva ations in the level of the signature top edges, especially with vertically wide signatures. The described arrangement thus gives assurance that every extracted signature, wide or narrow, will come to rest with its top edge accurately positioned for engagement by the transfer grippers.

.The receiving support or rest 96 thus advan- A tageously cooperates not only in the extracting but in the-transferring operations. The plate extends above the rolls 94 at an upward forward incline with its uppermost edge adjacent to the transfer device or drum |08. The extractor is carefully adjusted foreach size of signature, as described, so that the signature will be lowered until its top edge comes to an exact point, which may be at or slightly above the top edge of the plate 9b. By this arrangement the signature extreme top may even rest upon the periphery of the transfer drum, the most suitable position for reliable gripping and transfer.

While the pausing lowered grippers 5t consti tute a stop, as explained, for the lowered position of each extracted signature, a nner accuracy may be provided by a supplemental means to ensure correct transfer, such as a sheet forwarding device comprising an opposite pair of rollers, per se well known, pressed together in light feeding contact and continuously running; so that by opention and after the signature has engaged between the feed rollers, the signature, freed from the grippers, is irept moving downward a short distance until meeting an accurately positioned fixed stop, at which the rollers hold-it yieldingly until the transfer grippers pull it up andaway.

When each edgewise extracted signature has come to a pause as described with its top edge at rest against or adjacent to the transfer drum it@ it is ready to be gripped at its top edge and pulled out or upwardly and away by means of transfer grippers |05, of which there may be one or two or more sets, at evenly spaced points on the periphery of the drum, two sets being indicated. The separator l5 cooperates in this` action by reason of its frontward shift, as shown in Fig. l, ensuring that the top edge of the signature has been `shifted or settled accurately into its transferring position.

'Ihe transfer drum |06 and'its gripper system may be substantially as in said prior patent, wherefore they are not described in detail. The drum is preferably of skeletonform, composed o! several disks or wheels, and is shown as having aydiameter suiiiciently large to vprovide a gripper set at each of two opposite points. The details of the grippers and their mode of action may be ascertained by reference to said patent.

The transfer drum |06 is carried on a shaft |01 which is rotated by means of a sprocket gear |08 on the shaft connected by a sprocket chain |09 with a sprocket gear ||0 on the main shaft X, the chain passing also over an idler on arm ||2. The gear |09 is shown twice the diameter of the gear H9, so thatin each cycle or rotation of the vshaft X the drum will make only a half rotation, due to the fact that there are two gripper sets spaced 180 on the drum. The drum turns continuously and each gripper, as it comes to gripping position, is swung rapidly in a manner to press and grip the signature against the periphery of the drum. A gripper set may Vcomprise two or more grippers along the length of the drum and these readily engage and pull upwardly the successive signatures, which are thus carried around with the drum to delivery position. The receiving wall 96 may be of open construction and recessed where the grippers |95 operate against ythe drum,`or even cut away to avoid anyl contact with the peripheral parts of the skeleton drum.

` Without going into details, but with reference' back to said patent,` the illustrated delivery means may be described as comprising, in this case,` a signature-opening cylinder ||5, which may be half the diameter of the transfer drum and of a similar skeleton construction. The cylinder is mounted .on a shaft Ht at the same level with shaft |01. VFor driving the opening cylinder its shaft is provided with a gear Hi cooperating with -a gear H9 on` the drum shaft.

the latter gear being of twice the diameter of the former. Beyond the cylinder M5 is shown an idler gear M9, and there is another idler gear itt at a higher level. The drive of the cylinder is effected by a sprocket chain iti passing around the drum gear H8, the idlers i2@ and H9 and the cylinder geark H9, giving the latter one rota tion for eachhalf rotation of the drum, that is, for each signature extracted from the stack and transferred.I i l During the transfer of each signature from. the stach around to the delivery it may be held snugly upon the transfer drum by means of emi--V less tapes B29 each of which runs upon the drum vand upon the opening-cylinder and upon an .idler puiley, similarly to the corresponding elements in said patent.

Suitable means is to be understood for opening each transferred signature anddeliyering it in opened condition upon the saddleV i This openingineans may consist oi? devices provided partly on the drum itt and partly on the oylinI der tit, acting to open up widely the advance edge of each signature and thrust it downward astride the saddle.

' stops at a predetermined .signature is stopped, with its top edge tures from stack to delivery may be as follows, with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, Fig. 2 showing the main shaft and cams 180 beyond Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 90 therebeyond. The front signature s, formerly bowed by walls I9', now stands edgewise attened against the abutment 29 standing at a frontward tilt; while its back or extracting edge is restrained by the stop roller 2li. Asuuming downward extraction, the detacher 35 swings toward the signature lower edge, Fig. i showing it in such movement; and it engages the lower edge, and by suction swings it past the stop 2l and frontward, far beyond its natural or extracting position. Fig. 2 shows this position, the edge being bent around the edge of abutment 29 thus shedding any clinging signatures.

Now the separator 65 edge and come in be hind it, isolating it. The separator thence moves forcibly rearward, restoringv any loose signatures to the stack and repressing the latter to relieve the drag on the detacher now causes the front signature to swing to its intermediate or alined position, asin Fig.3,

ready for extraction.

The extractor smeanwhile has risen, its open jaws engage the signature edge, the jaws close and the extractor pulls the signature edgewise downward and out, its pulled edge passing be` tween roll 94 and receiving plate 96.

A t a predetermined point the descent ceases and the apprommately at the transfer point, the separator now shifting frontward as in- Fig. 1 to deflect and pgition the' top edge against the-transfer drum The drum grippers now engage the last emerged or top edge ofthe signature and draw it edgewise out or up andaway; so that there is a change or reversal of signature travel direc'- tion between extraction and transfer. In the meanwhile, as the'transfer begins, the detachment and extraction of the next signature commence, so that there is no loss of time and the feed is in rapid succession.

As already set forth the directions of motion may be diierent. The edgewise extraction may be upward or even lateral,` so long as it completely removes the signature from the stack and point, vand the transfer is next performed edgewise by a different edge,

preferably. the opposite or last-emerged edge of the extracted signature. When' so extracted laterally and transferred in an opposite direction.

after a pause the transfer and accumulation of signature groups maybe in accordance with patent of Krueger No. 2,173,118 issued September 19, 1939.

.The present invention permits a gatherer to operate on signatures of varying vertical width,

from 12 inches or more to 5 inches or less, and

of varying horizontal length from i0 inches or less to inches or mor-'ein the case of gang work. This capabilitydoes not exist with the gatherer oi prior patent 2,163,732, which can not f defiection and transfer handle signatures of low width or excess length because of the requirement of a preliminary partial downward retraction, behindthe abutment plate, leaving insuiiicient or no top margin for gripping. Iclaim:

1. Mechanism for feeding stacked signatures or sheets one by they one from a hopper wherein stand edgewise upon a hopper bottom and enters, by rising oblique` ly, to clear the signature isolated front signature. `The 2,223,391 The operation on eachof the successive signabear against a hopper front abutment or wall and presenting them to a transferring device or `drum with grippers, comprising, a detacher constructed and operated to engage the folded edge of each front signature to be fed and swing it frontwardly from the stack to extracting position, a separator constructed and operated to enter behind such detached signature and between it and the succeeding signatures and n thereupon to repress the succeeding signatures or sheets one by one from a hopper wherein they stand edgewise upon a hopper bottom and bear against a hopper front abutment or wall and presenting them to a transferring device or drum with grippers, comprising, a detacher constructed and operated to engage the lower edge of each front signature to be fed and swing it frontward= ly from the stack beyond extracting position to shed any clinging signatures, and later back ,to extracting position, a separator constructed and` operated to enter from below behind such detached front signature to isolate it from the succeeding signatures and thereupon to represstthe succeeding signatures back toward the stack, and

an extracting gripper constructed and operated' to gripV the lower edge of the detached front sig'- nature while the separator holds back the succeeding ones, and to pull downward and completely extract the frontv signature and bring it to a stop with its free upper edge in a definite position for such transfer gripping.

3. Mechanism as in claim 2 and wherein the separator, after extraction, shifts frontwardly to deiiect the upper edge of the extracted signature toward the drum into position for transfer gripping.

4. Mechanism for feeding stacked signatures or sheets one by one from a hopper wherein they stand edgewise upon a. hopper bottom and bear against a hopper front abutment or wall and presenting them to a transferring device, comprising, a suction detacher constructed and -operated to engage the`lower edge of each front signature to be fed and swing it frontwardly from the stack to extracting position, a separator constructed and operated to entersfrom below behind such detached front signature and between it and the succeeding signatures and thereupon to repress Y back toward the stack, and later to deect the upper edge of the extracted signature frontwardly towards the drum in position for transfer gripping, and an extracting gripper ccnstructed and operated to grip the lower edge oi the detached front signature while the separator holds back the succeeding ones, and to pull downward and completely extract the front signature and bring it to a stop with its free upper edge in 'a definite position for such frontward deection and transfer gripping.

5. Mechanism as in claim 4 and wherein is a receiving plate against which the lowered signature may rest with its upper edge free in position for transfer gripping and wherein the deiiecting action of the separator thrusts such upper edge toward said plate.

the succeeding signatures 6. Mechanism as in claim Zand wherein the hopper has a restraining guard holding back the lower/edge of the front signature behind its extracting position until detached and wherein the extractor operates by reciprocation along a path in line with the' front abutment.

7. Mechanism as in claim 1 and wherein the extractor is mounted toY reciprocate between the y stack and a predetermined lowered position.

1g whereat the signature is stopped between extraction and transfer.

8. An insert gathering machine 'comprising signature hoppers adapted to contain signatures standing edgewise with their closed back edges down, each hopper having 'a front abutment wall against which in turn each front signature bears, a detacher operable to engage the signature bottom edge and swing it frontwardly to'extracting position, a separator operable to rise behind the detached signature and repress the succeeding signatures and stack, an extractor comprising grippers and operableto grip the detached edge of Hthe signature and draw it downwardly and completely out of the hopper and bring it to a pause and release it with its top .edge in a dennite position, and a transfer'device or drum having grippers and operable to grip the positioned top edge ofthe pausing signature and transfer it upwardly and away for opening/and depositing .upon a saddle.

9. A gathering machine as in claim 8 and wherein the separator operating means causes it to shift frontwardly and deiiect or position each Y pausing signature in a .front position for gripping by said transfer device.

10. A gathering .machine as in claim 8 and wherein is a cam for causing the extractor downward and return movements, said cam shaped or timedto cause the extractor to pause at its lowered position until the released signature has 4been gripped by the transfer drum and started on its upward transfer motion.

11. A gathering machine as in claim 8.and wherein is means for adjusting the length of 45. stroke of the extractor between a constant gripper engaging position and a variablelowered position. in accordance with the vertical width of the signature.

12. A gathering machine as in claim 8 and wherein the extractor is carried on a lever for down and up swinging movements between `sig-- nature grippingand stopping positions, with cam connections including a link pivoted to' a` rockarm for swinging said lever; and said pivot being adjustable on said roclrarm along an arc, to lchange the stroke of the extractor; and said arc being concentric, when the extractor is at gripping position, with the adjusting swing Y of said link thereon; whereby the adjustment oi extraction stroke to suit the signature width is readily effected without varying the signature gripping position thereof.

13. An insert gathering machine comprising 55 signature hoppers adapted to contain signatures standing edgewise with their closed back edges down.` each hopper having a front abutment wall against which in turn each front signature bears, a detacher operable to engage the m signature bottom edge andswingit irontwardly to extracting position, a. separator operable to rise behind the detached signature and repress the succeeding signatures and staclt, an extractor comprising grippers and operable 'to grip the de Z5 tached edge of the signature and draw it downwardly and completely out of -the hopper and bring it to a pause and release it with its top edge in a deiinite position, a signature' rest or plate against the rear side of which each extracted signature may rest when released, said 5 plate located to position the signature top edge for transfer gripping, and a transfer device or drum having grippers and operableto grlpvthe positioned top edge of the pausing signature .resting on said plateA and transfer'lt upwardly 10 and away for opening and depositing upon a saddle.

1li.` A gathering machine as in claim 13 and wherein is a guide roll near the rear side of the signature rest plate between which and the 15 plate each signature is pulled down by the extractor. 4

l5. A gathering machine as inl claim 13 and whereinis a guide roll near the rear sideof the signature rest plate between which and the plate 20 each' signature is pulled down by the extractor; and the plate being extended below such guide roll in a curved shape approximating the swinging path of the descending extractor, thereby to receiveA and supportl the-resting signature in -a 25 curved position.

16. A gathering machine as in claim 13` and wherein is a'guide roll near therear side of the signature rest plate between which and the plate each signature is pulled down by the extractor; 30 and the plate being extended below such guide roll in a curved shape approximating theswinging pathl of the .descending extractor, vthereby to receive yand vsupport the restingsignature in a curved positiomsuch curved part of the plate 35 havingy signature groovesor guides compelling the signature to assume such curve, thereby to `assure uniform positioning and register of all signature top,4 edges forl transfer gripping.

l'l. A signature gathering machine ofthe kind having a series of hoppers from which successive signatures are extracted and transferred for grouping upon a gathering conveyor, the same comprising a detacher operable to swing an edge of each signature away from the stack to exs tracting position, an extractor having a gripper operabieto grip the'detached edge and pull the .signature edgewise completely out of the stack and release it to stop'with its last emerged edge in a predetermined position for transfer, a sig- 50 nature yrest for supporting the extracted signature awaiting transfer, and a transfer device having a gripper to grip such last emerged edge of the signature on said rest and transfer the signature awayfor deposit on `the gathering conveyor.

i3. A machine as in claim i7 and wherein is a separator operable to, enter behind each de tached signatureedge and after extraction to deiiect the opposite edge to transfer position 6@ on said rest.

19. A signature gathering machine of the kind having a series of hoppers from which successive signatures are extracted and transferred for grouping upon a gathering conveyor, the @5 same comprising an abutment 'wall against which the front signature bears, a detacher operable to swing the lower L,edge of each signa. ture away from the stack to extracting position,

a reciprocable extractor having a gripper oper` 7@ able to grip the detached 'edge and pull the sig= v nature downwardly completely-out of the stack and release it to stop with its last emerged edge in a predetermined position for transfer, an inclined rest tor supporting the extracted signa- K5 for opening and grouping upon .a gathering sadl dle, the same comprising a detacher operable to swingv the closed back edge of each signature away from the stack to extracting position, an

extractor having a gripper operable to grip the detached closed edge and pull the signature edgewise completely out of the stack and release it to stop with its open edge in a predetermined position for transfer, a signature rest for supporting the extracted signature awaiting transfer, and a transfer device having a gripper to grip, the open edge of the signature on said rest and transfer-the signature away for opening and deposit on the gathering saddle.

22. A signaturevv insert gathering machine of the kind having a series of stack hoppers from which successive signatures are extracted and transferred for opening and grouping upon a gathering saddle, the same comprising'an extractor device havinga gripper operable to grip each signature by its closed backedge and pull it completely out of the stack and release it tostop with its last emerged or open edge in a predetermined position for transfer, means for sup-y porting the extracted signature while pausing for transfer with its open edge accessible for engagement, a transfer drum having a gripper to engage such last emerged open edge of the signature' on said supporting means and transfer the signature away for discharge upon the gathering saddle, and an opening device or cylinder having a gripper to grip the outer half of adjustably predetermining the pausing position of each signatureas to its closed edge according to its width so that its last emerged or openv edge will rest in a predetermined position for transfer. a continuously rotatable transfer drum having a gripper to grip such last emerged edge of the pausing signature and transfer the signature away for discharge upon the' gathering saddle, and an opening device'having a gripper to grip the outer half of the signature on said zov drum and draw it away from the inner half during dicharge.

PAUL SCHWEIZER. 

